Monday, June 11, 2007

PROFITEROLES

In the past, I remember not liking desserts that were made with cream puff pastry/choux pastry. I just didn't find them very uninteresting taste- and texture-wise...

I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I always found that they tasted like cardboard and that the pastry was quite dry. But, since I've started making my own, I changed my mind and really crave those little baked wonders!

Before I got to that The King Arthur Flour (see link) recipe, I never got very good results, because the other recipes had the tendancy to give sagging puffs that ressembled omelets. Now, my cream puffs are always perfect and keep their shape.

Those "Profiteroles" (see infos) are extremely delightful and highly satisfying. On the outside, the cream puffs are crispy and their center is smooth and elastic. Flavor-wise, the butter is very omnipresent and makes them all the more delicious. And that chocolate sauce smothered all over them is ever so gorgeous!

A real treat that is simple to make, yet very delicate, distinguished and effectful!

Method:1. Preheat the oven to 220° C (425° F).2. Put the water, butter and salt in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.3. Remove it from the heat and add the flour all at once.4. Stir vigorously.5. Return the pan to the burner and cook over medium heat, stirring all the while, until the mixture forms a ball (about a minute).6. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minute.7. Transfer the dough to a mixer and beat in the eggs one at a time.8. Beat at least two minutes after adding the last egg.9. Form the choux paste into whatever shape you desire.10. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 190° C (375° F) and bake for an additional 15 minutes.11. Turn off the oven, open the door a crack and leave the pastry inside to cool for 30 minutes.12. Remove from the oven too cool completely.For the chocolate sauce:13. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup and milk.14. Stir to blend.15. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a full boil.16. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.17. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the butter and vanilla extract.18. Keep stirring until the butter has completely melted.19. Drizzle this hot sauce over the cream puffs and eat straight away.Remarks:After the 5 to 10 minutes of cooling, the pastry will still feel hot, but you should be able to hold a finger in it for a few seconds.After having incorporated the eggs and beaten the mixture, the paste will become quite fluffy.To shape the choux, use either a spoon or a pastry bag (to pipe).Instead of using corn syrup for the sauce, you can either replace it by golden syrup, honey or "mélasse à tartiner" (only in Switzerland).The sauce can easily be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week and reheated before serving.

Serving suggestions:You can slice the cream puffs in half and fill them with either whipped cream or or a scoop of your favorite ice cream (I recommend vanilla or walnut ice cream) and then drizzle the "Chocolate Sauce" over them.